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Real Estate Agent Interview – Morgan DuVernet

Mike Williams — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:00:12 +0000

Morgan is a real estate agent with Century 21 in Vancouver. You can visit Morgan's website - http://www.morganduvernet.ca or follow her on Twitter @MorganDuvernet.

About Morgan

My name is Morgan DuVernet and I have been a Realtor in Vancouver for 6 years. Born and raised in beautiful Deep Cove, North Vancouver. I am so lucky to be able to live and work in such an amazing city . When I am not working (this doesn’t happen often!) I am spending time with my family and friends. I love snowboarding, skiing, good wine, and my main weakness is shopping.

Why did you become a real estate Agent?

Real Estate was something I was always interested in. After going to Capilano University and having a blast working in the Actions sports industry I knew I wanted to be self-employed and be able to build my own business. Within days of getting my Real Estate license I started with Century 21 In Town in Yaletown and I have never looked back.

What do you love about working in real estate?

The aspect of being a Real Estate Agent that I love the most is meeting new people and building new relationships every single day. I have had the privilege of meeting so many different types of people over the years and most of time your clients become friends because you spend so much time together. Being a Realtor is also very rewarding, helping clients make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Handing over to keys on completion day and seeing the excitement and knowing you had something to do to make this day happen is a pretty great feeling.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in real estate?

The advice that I would give someone coming into Real Estate as a career would be to surround yourself with successful Realtors and listen as much as you can. You would be surprised at how some of the most successful agents around you are willing to help you get started by sharing how they made it and genuinely want to see you succeed.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

If I could live anywhere in the world it would be Vancouver, there are so many place I want to travel but I will always call Vancouver home. Not just because my family is here, but because of everything Vancouver has to offer. The views are spectacular and there are not many places that you can snowboard and paddle board in the same day!

Announcing #REChat – A Weekly Twitter Chat About Real Estate

Mike Williams — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:41:18 +0000

Street Info is happy to announce a new weekly Twitter chat group about Real Estate.

The chat will start on Wednesday, August 29th at 10am PST. The first session will feature the 5 questions below, but we are definitely open to suggestions for questions and ways to improve the chat group as it evolves and grows. We'll meet each Wednesday at 10am PST at #REChat

To join the chat simply tweet with the hashtag #REChat on Twitter on August 29th at 10am PST.

Please Retweet this message to all of your followers and help get the word out about #REChat!

"PLS RT: Join the first #REChat on Aug 29th at 10am PST. Hosted by @streetinfocom. More info – bit.ly/NFK4zS #realestate"

Questions:

1. What as been your most successful social media marketing method?

2. Do you think open houses help to sell homes?

3. What offline marketing have you done to find new clients?

4. What is your favorite thing about being a Realtor?

5. What unique challenges do you face in your local Real Estate Market?

Please feel free to add more suggested questions in the comments below.

We look forward to seeing you at #REChat!

Follow Street Info on Twitter @streetinfocom

Curb Appeal: Why Your Clients Need it to Sell Their Home

Mike Williams — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:33:22 +0000

Curb appeal is a commonly heard phrase in the real estate industry, but it is important to understand exactly what it is and how it can impact sales. In layman's terms, curb appeal is simply the appearance of the exterior portion of the property, including the lawn. Many people believe that curb appeal is the positive impact that is created by improving the look of a property, but every property in the world has curb appeal, regardless of whether it is good or bad.

Your clients need to focus on improving the curb appeal of their property before you help them place their home on the market. If they wait until after the property has already been listed, then you will end up needing to take new photos in order to present the best possible appearance in your listings. Many people who are selling their home are leery of spending money, but there are several techniques that can be utilized to improve curb appeal for little or no money.

The most simplistic approach to improving curb appeal is to cut a pattern into the grass. To do this, the seller will need to cut their grass in a back-and-forth pattern with six-inch overlaps. Presumably your seller is keeping up on basic lawn maintenance, so this tip should be easily incorporated into their routine.

The seller should also take the time to use an edger. Some people get carried away when they used an edger, however, so make sure to let them know that the idea is to clean up the edges, not to make the lawn look like it is levitating.

Flowers are the quickest and cheapest way to add a splash of color to the front of a house. Because the seller is moving, they can purchase inexpensive annuals and still reap the rewards of a more aesthetically appealing yard. Suggest purchasing two or three complementary colors and planting them in any applicable flower beds.

Although there are several other steps that your clients can use, including installing a memorable mailbox or upgrading the hardware on the exterior of the house, the most important aspect of curb appeal is a yard that looks fresh and colorful, and a driveway that is free of weeds. Once your clients implement these steps, their home will instantly become more appealing to potential buyers.

Image source: Tony Hammond via Compfight

Real Estate Agent Interview – Jake McTigue

Mike Williams — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:00:59 +0000

Jake McTigue is a Realtor with Peaks Real Estate of Sotheby's International Realty in Telluride, Colorado. Jake lives in Telluride, Colorado a little ski town at 8750 ft. In the real estate business since 2002.

About Jake

I was born in Evanston, IL. But I grew up in Wilmette, IL and Telluride, CO. I am Married and we have two awesome daughters that are 5.5 and 2.5 yrs old. Since I do live in Telluride, CO, an amazing ski town, I love skiing, mountain and road biking, and I'm a hack aspiring surfer. I will have to also say, that I love spending time with family as the time does fly by. I serve on local boards and I am a vice chair of the planning and zoning commission.

What do you love about the Real Estate Business?

I really enjoy the people I work with as colleagues as well as clients. Since I live and sell real estate in a second home market, the clients that come to Telluride have incredible and diverse backgrounds and almost all of these clients love to escape from the busy cities and simply enjoy the outdoors of Telluride. Additionally, to have an opportunity to be an entrepreneur in a ski town is fantastic.

What has been your greatest accomplishment as a Real Estate Agent?

During the boom of the recession in 2009 I was able to discreetly sell a high end main street building with a penthouse off the market in nine days (the offering price was compelling but not the deal of the decade) and weave the transaction to close while the client was going through bankruptcy reorganization.

What advice would you give to someone considering or getting started in a real estate career?

Build an online presence, think outside of conventional boxes, work with rather than against unpredictability, know your stats and why, speak less and proactively listen.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

My wife and I actually just had this conversation not too long ago. We love where we live on so many levels. Most importantly, Telluride is a great place for kids. Our 5.5 yr old has skied four seasons already, and the last three years she has skied 35 days each season. But, we do really enjoy other Colorado towns, Durango and Denver. My wife would like the beach as a home base at some point. We shall see.

The Top 5 Reasons Your For Sale Sign Sucks

Mike Williams — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:53:51 +0000

Photo by Karen Quincy Loberg, Karen Quincy Loberg / Star staff // Buy this photo

For sale signs are a staple of the real estate industry, but their effectiveness continues to dwindle. Even though all real estate agents use them, most agents do not understand why they are not catching the eyes of potential buyers. The following five reasons highlight exactly why your for sale signs are not working and what you can do to make them stand out.

1. Over-Saturation

The number one issue with for sale signs is over-saturation. Try this experiment: drive through a neighborhood and look for any for sale signs that stand out. What you found was a seemingly never-ending sea of similar styles, colors and wording, right? Without a special hook, your for sale sign will never be noticed.

2. Fear of Being Bold

If you are afraid of being bold, then your sign is ineffective. Boldness includes incorporating humor and not hiding from the house's reputation. For example, some innovative real estate agents have added hanging additions to the for sale signs of houses that are rumored to be haunted that say "not haunted." This is not only eye-catching, but it will encourage people to actually take a tour of the house. Once they see the interior of the home, you can sell them on how fabulous it is.

3. Standard Size

Almost every real estate agent utilizes the standard rectangle for sale sign. Throw this template out if you want to achieve better results. Try something odd like a pentagon to grab attention.

4. No Description

Almost all real estate for sale signs focus merely on announcing that the house is for sale. Why not let the sign actually promote the best features of the house instead? The sign could say "gorgeous ranch style two bedroom" in bold letters, with your company logo and sales information filling up a portion of the sign instead of the entire sign. Remember that the house is more important to most buyers than the company that you work for.

5. Old and Worn

Many Real estate for sale signs are just plain old and worn out. If your sign is starting to look old, tattered and faded what does that say about you as a real estate agent? Or, better yet, what does it say about the home you are trying to sell. You want to present the best possible image to a potential buyer and your for sale sign might be the first impression a prospective buyer sees. So, replace old and worn out signs with newer and better looking signs to keep a strong brand image.

6. Bonus: Use Real Estate Text Message Marketing!

Try a service like Street Info and get a sign topper that catches the prospective buyer's attention and allows them to get more information about the home any time of the day! Sign up.

Tips for Working with a Difficult Real Estate Client

Mike Williams — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:21:44 +0000

Undoubtedly all real estate agents have had more than their share of real estate clients who are difficult to work with, and each could probably spend an afternoon sharing entertaining stories about these encounters. As frustrating as it can be during the actual process, however, these encounters can be turned into extremely rewarding experiences.

The first thing to recognize is that a difficult client is not personally out to get you. Although it might seem like that when you get an angry phone call at a highly inappropriate time, like receiving a call at approximately 1:30 a.m., you must hold onto the knowledge that your client is simply experiencing a lot of stress related to the sale of their house.

There will come a time when you will need to make a decision about what you will and will not put up with from your clients. The late caller needs to be informed that your personal time was exactly that and that they could find a new agent if they desired 24/7 communication. While some of my fellow real estate agents were appalled at this approach, the client is actually to apologize and became rather pleasant to work with going forward.

Many realtors have dealt with clients who thought that they knew more than they do about selling real estate, and trying to educate them is typically a fruitless endeavor. Instead, I try to plant a seed in their mind via a well-positioned magazine article or letting them think that they are overhearing you on the phone with another client. In most cases, they will come to you later with a brilliant idea that they just came up with; although you will let them take the credit, just smile internally at the knowledge that their brilliant idea was actually yours.

If your client insists on trying something that you know will not work, then you should ask them if they will make a deal with you. Suggest trying their idea during one open house or advertisement in exchange for letting you try out yours during the next one. They will typically agree due to the belief that their idea will sell their house first, and then when it does not, you can come in like a hero with your proven techniques.

Keep in mind that no matter how harshly a client treats you, they are most likely just reacting to something else that is happening in their lives. For example, a woman whose husband has just walked out on her will be looking for ways to reclaim some power. Instead of responding to her out of anger, listen to what she has to say and then respond softly with a few kind words.

By using the tips listed above, you can take a nightmare client and turn them into a solid referral source for the next several years. You can also experience the personal joy of having helped another person deal with what just might be the worst time period in their life.

Image source: Michael Verhoef via Compfight

Real Estate Agent Interview – Alease Arcus

Mike Williams — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:00:46 +0000

Alease is a real estate agent with Coast Realty in Port Alberni, BC. You can find out more about Alease or contact her on her personal Coast Realty page here.

About Alease

Hi! My name is Alease Arcus, I am married with 3 children; a 15 year old boy Jacob, an 8 year old girl Eve, and a 1.5 year old girl Ellie. I was born and raised in Port Alberni, but have lived in many different communities and cities since graduating high school. I have decided to settled down and raise my family here in Port Alberni, as most of my friends and family are here, and it is an amazing place to raise children as there are so many amenities available to us and the cost of living still remains very reasonable. My family and career take up most of my time, but when I do have extra time I enjoy the outdoors, playing soccer, cooking and drinking red wine! Travel is another thing I wish I had more time and money for…

What made you become a Real Estate Agent?

I actually chose real estate as a career from a recommendation from a friend. I had graduated from BCIT with a diploma in marketing management and Royal Roads University with a degree in business commerce and was having a difficult time finding a career in Port Alberni that suited my skill set. I continued to work as a waitress at a local pub while I took my real estate licensing course through UBC. My husband took the course with me and we chose to work with an independent island company called Coast Realty Group. We felt Coast Realty gave us the best opportunity to grow our career together as its reputation and location are prime. We felt we had the right attitudes, work ethics, and social circle of connections to be very successful in the business, and it proved to be the right choice.

What do you love about the Real Estate Industry?

There are many things we, my husband and I, LOVE about selling real estate. We are both people persons, and get to have a very social job, interacting with people on a daily basis. We love that we get to find that special home for people; whatever their situation; buying their first home, upgrading to that perfect house, retiring to something smaller, or sometimes even moving on to another city. It’s a very intimate way to be able to affect people’s lives. It’s a lot of fun! It keeps us on our toes all the time! Another big plus for us is that we can share our business life with our family life. One of us can work at the office all day while the other can stay home with their laptop and cell phone, and still raise our children and be success in business on a daily basis.

What do you dislike about working in Real Estate?

The one negative side to the business is that it is 24/7, you always have to be “on” and ready. There are no days off. Chris (my husband) even got a page on Christmas morning about one of our listings. You have to be ready and willing to pick up the phone at any time, and go show that house or go meet with those out of town buyers who just randomly showed up regardless of what you might be doing. If you miss that opportunity you risk losing those buyers or sellers. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we are doing, we are constantly on our cell phones whether it be taking phone calls or returning emails, it’s game time all the time. But hard work is rewarded, so we hope to put in long hours while we are young and able and hopefully retire at a decent age.

A Profile of Real Estate Giant Century 21

Mike Williams — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:50:32 +0000

This is the third of a three part series that profiles the biggest companies in real estate. By taking a look at the history of these major companies, we can learn how the real estate industry has changed and gain insight into what values a real estate agent should embody. The previous installments focused on Remax and Coldwell Banker. This final installment provides a look at how Century 21 has influenced the world of real estate.

An Introduction to Century 21 Real Estate

Just like Remax and Coldwell Banker, Century 21 is an American based company that has become international. Founded in 1971, Century 21 has successfully branched out into 73 countries. The company is owned by Realogy, a large umbrella corporation for real estate companies that also includes Coldwell Banker. The founders of Century 21 had a similar idea to the founders of Remax; they wanted to give real estate agents a bigger piece of the overall business and help real estate professionals open independent franchises.

Why Are They Named Century 21?

The founders originally wanted a name that conveyed a sense of long-term stability. Due to this goal, variations of the name, such as 20th Century Realty, were discussed before they decided to flip their approach and go with the then futuristic sounding Century 21. By switching their approach, the name ended up implying that the company was ahead of the real estate curve and would operate differently than its competitors. The company has generally gone with a more forward thinking approach; for example, they abandoned almost all television advertisements in 2009 to focus primarily on Internet advertising.

History of the Logo

The Century 21 logo was designed to present the perfect embodiment of a more futuristic approach. While most companies stick with warm or patriotic colors, Century 21 went bold with their usage of black and yellow. The house design can be viewed as either modern or traditional depending on the viewer, and this allows the company to appeal to a wide range of potential home buyers.

Charitable Efforts

Century 21 has a history of participating in charities around the world. Easter Seals is the company's main focal point, but they have become involved with several charitable causes, including Habitat for Humanity, the Ronald McDonald House and Gleaners Food Bank. At a local level, many small Century 21 charity organizations have been developed by real estate agents to give back to the needs of their community.

What Does the Future Hold?

Much like Remax and Coldwell Banker, Century 21 is poised for continued growth into the foreseeable future. Their franchise model continues to entice new real estate agents, and the strength of their name places them within the top five most popular real estate companies in the world.

Top 30 Quotes from Real Estate Connect 2012

Mike Williams — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:05:30 +0000

Here are the Top 30, in no particular order, quotes from Real Estate Connect SF 2012 via Twitter #ICSF. There were so many great tweets, undoubtedly I'm missed a few so feel free to add them in the comments.

"@TeriConrad: Tweetable "I'm not really a Real Estate Agent -I just play one on TV!" – @soldbygold haha!! #icsf "

"@david_marine At an #icsf dinner where i am the youngest person by 10 yrs & only one in jeans. Representing slackers."

"@mattcase Three actual millennial buyers on stage. First point of contact in real estate search: Craigslist, Open houses. Then websites #ICSF"

"@TeriConrad: Ability to generate leads and hustle will never change in this industry – @soldbygold #icsf"

"@TeriConrad "The conversations are happening on FB whether you're there or not" ~ @katielance #icsf"

"@debra11: "Technology hasn't made our job easier, but it has made it more elegant and efficient." – @soldbygold #icsf"

"@SeattleDivas I love how many folks @InmanConnect are chatting about raising the bar in our profession. Done with the negativity! #icsf"

"@ProfessionalOne: If #ICSF doesn't kill you…nothing will… ” Funny… But true."

"@jeff_kershner If you don't have a value proposition with for app, it's probably not worth the $$. There are a ton of apps in the RE search space. #icsf"

"@valeriegarcia1 "You are put together very well, I am sure your website is beautiful". @bradInman #ICSF #questionablyfunny"

"@Corcoran_Group Suggestion: A ban on the word 'should' at #ICSF – Have heard it 25 times in the first ten minutes of the reputation session"

"@david_marine Agent reviews aren't helping. they're all 5 stars. when u search 4 agent & see every1 w/ 5 stars it means nothing. #icsf"

"@tinamak don't use google translator to build a website in a differnt language #icsf"

"@Corcoran_Group #ICSF folks who joined for today's Super Duper Burger Run… How you feeling this afternoon? "

"@Chris_Smth: Breaking: @REALTORdotcom releases agent branded app for all agents. It's free. #ICSF"

"@LauraMonroe Agents- tip: web designers are not your content strategists or writers. #icsf"

"@REMAXAllegiance Such a great conference! Would definitely recommend it to everyone! #ICSF"

"@M_McLeod It's amazing how with a week of discussing technology and great innovation,everything ultimate has to lead to a relationship #ICSF"

"@msteward: Highlight of my day was bring mistaken for @Corcoran_Group. Matthew is much better looking #icsf"

"@bradinman – we need to replace arrogance with humility. I couldn't agree more! #ICSF"

"@AraMamourian Only at #icsf would the panel go from taking crack, meth, real housewives and naturally progress to $100 million NYC condo #awesome"

"@debra11 Right now, u likely have a web audience. Focus on their experience. Don't compete w/ the 1100+ fart apps just yet. @1000wattbrian #icsf"

"@nickratliff @tinamak "You don't ask where the money comes from" — MANY MANY LAUGHS! #icsf"

"@jeff_kershner @LisaArcher still knocks on doors! Old school and tech both work. #icsf"

"@LauraMonroe "Getting 3rd party testimonials and reviews was most important factor in finding good agent" #icsf via Home Buyer Panelist"

"@nickratliff: Brittany – "I can already do alot of it myself online. I want you to provide me with something I can't" #icsf” [consumer]"

"@debra11 R u ready to change the #realestate mantra from Location. Location. Location… to Data. Data. Data. ?? #icsf"

"@LauraMonroe: Once you understand actions through lens of habits, you'll understand more about human behavior #icsf"

"@gargmohit: Mobile: look at responsive design, start with smaller device first to build mobile optimized site #ICSF"

"@debra11 Staying consistent and relevant improves your @klout score. Tip: Don't overwhelm your connections w/ too many updates. #icsf"

Real Estate Agent Interview – Andrew Hobb

Mike Williams — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 02:00:20 +0000

Andrew Hobbs is a real estate agent with The Condo Group, Burr Properties Ltd in Victoria, BC. The Condo Group is a dedicated group of condo professionals that approach real estate with a fresh attitude and they ensure their clients buy or sell their condos in the most profitable way possible. You can follow The Condo Group on Twitter @condogroup.

About Andrew

I was born in Victoria, beautiful BC. My lovely wife and I have a 7 year old daughter and a 2 year old son.

What are some of your personal Hobbies?

Do I have hobbies? Good lord, I’m a Realtor with a wife and two small kids… I enjoy eating and sleeping once in awhile! In all seriousness, I’m an avid -but mediocre- chess player, and I enjoy running…looking forward to my first half-marathon this October. Many years ago I spent a lot of time studying French and Mandarin, but both could use some polishing.

What's your Biggest Accomplishment?

My biggest non real estate related accomplishment and source of pride is opening a chess school in Taiwan which my brother has taken over and still runs today.

What do you love about the Real Estate Business?

I love that the real estate business has so many facets which are always changing and challenging while the most important ones, the communication and face-to-face relationships, remain steadfast.

What book would you recommend?

My favorite book to recommend? The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where? And, why?

I can live anywhere in the world. I choose Victoria. I choose Victoria for my family, the phenomenal surroundings, and the people, culture, and size of the city.